Notes

Ellison Building was built in 1924. The building consists of 16 adjoining shophouse units. The three affected units completes the Bukit Timah end of its two distinctive curved street corner façades, each crowned by a cupola.

demolish and reconstruct three units (nos. 235, 237, and 239) of Ellison Building at the junction of Selegie and Bukit Timah Roads to make way for the construction of the proposed underground North-South Corridor.

ICOMOS Singapore is deeply disturbed by the authorities’ disregard for the heritage value of this building and the lack of transparency behind this decision which is problematic and regressive on the following fronts.

Conservation of our built heritage is an integral part of urban planning and development in Singapore. The restoration of our historic areas adds variety to our streetscapes and modulates the scale of our urban fabric, creating the visual contrast and excitement within the city while protecting the important reminders and representations of our past. In addition, it adds to the distinctive character and identity of our city, giving it a sense of history and memory of place.

The public must assume that a ‘conserved’ building is in fact protected, and not an inconvenience to be done away with when it is deemed to hamper planning dictates. The decision to demolish the three shophouses sets a highly unhealthy precedent. It negates the critical role of heritage conservation in Singapore’s national planning agenda and undermines decades of painstaking efforts by state agencies, building owners, heritage stakeholders, professionals and builders, and the progress in conservation achieved so far.

This ‘exceptional course of action’ – to demolish and reconstruct part of a gazetted conservation building – will have long term implications on future planning and conservation policies. That being the case, it behooves the authorities to undertake a proper Heritage Impact Assessment, consult with stakeholders, and engage with experts to explore alternative solutions. It is not evident if any of this has been done. Indeed, the authorities have kept silent all these months on this proposal and only unleashed it on an unsuspecting public in mid- August this year.